Simona moved with her family to New Zealand from Macedonia in
1996. Her extensive sporting, academic, cultural and leadership
commitments throughout school demonstrated her willingness to
embrace every experience that schooling in New Zealand has offered
her. The recipient of numerous awards, Simona established herself
as one of the top students at Linwood College. Amongst her list of
endeavours, she showed herself to be an enthusiastic athlete in
football and water polo and was made House Leader at her school in
2009. Outside of school, Simona learned more about leadership and
teamwork from her dedicated involvement with the New Zealand Cadet
Force as a Sea Cadet at Redcliffs beach.

Sandro Ribeiro, Telecom Store Manager for Riccarton, Christchurch
reports "Simona has a formidable intellect and a maturity beyond
her years."

Simona completed a Bachelor of Science (Biochemistry and Cell
Biology) from the University of Canterbury in 2013, winning
academic prizes on the way, and then followed this with
postgraduate honours.

Simona is travelled overseas with her husband,
working part time, and doing some volunteer work. In
2016 Simona received funding from the Australian Government
for her PHD on Toxoplasma at Melbourne University.